Maps - We Can Create
Label: Mute
Released: October 9th 2007
Grade: B-
[[ buy it @ amazon ]]
The kids just love underground electro-experimental-shoegaze pop these days. Maps, AKA Northampton, UK native James Chapman, had been receiving some pretty heavy British hype before his 2007 Mute debut We Can Create. In 2006 Chapman's own Last Space Recordings released three singles that quickly sold out and Start Something, a 39 minute mini album that got rave reviews across Europe. The stage was set for We Can Create's underground success regardless of its quality.
It turns out that We Can Create has already achieved that underground success - but is not as great as the hype machine claims, as is usually the case. However it's still pretty decent for a debut solo release. Maps creates a very pleasant and easy listening sound with a soft voice, bedroom electronics and traditional rock instruments, not unlike the bands The Radio Dept, Manitoba, Clue to Kalo, Stars & Khonnor. The difference is Maps never reaches those golden, beautiful or intense moments the aforementioned bands do.
The standout tracks are almost all catchy upbeat songs, including "Elouise," a whispy and smooth love song, "So Low, So High," a song dominated by high pitched strings, "Don't Fear," a Sigur Ros styled build up song. The only exception is "Liquid Sugar," which smoothly melts down your ears with shoegaze riffs and almost, just almost, flows "straight up through the soul," as the lyrics say.
Chapman came a little late with this music and right now he's searching to find his own voice among a sea of already accomplished electronic rock stars. Look forward to the day he does, because when he does he might even be more fantastic than his peers.
MIGHT REMIND YOU OF: The Radio Dept, Manitoba, Clue to Kalo, Stars, Khonnor, Sigur Ros
LISTEN: Myspace
WATCH: Video about the album
By Roman the Fury